Building-block



(No Model.) I

S. T. TRUMBULL.

BUILDING BLOCK. Patented Feb. 17, 1885.

mlneues.

NITED STATES FFlC BUILDING-BLOCK.

$PECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,305, dated February 17, 1885.

Application filed November 13, 1884.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SOLOMON T. TRUMBULL, of Gloucester, in the county'of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Building-Blocks, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is an isometrical perspective view of a house or building the walls of which are constructed of my improved blocks; Fig. 2, a like View of a block detached, and Fig. 3 a perspective view showing the method of arranging the jointplate.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates to that class of building-blocks which are designed more especiall y for the outer walls of dwelling-houses and other buildings; and it consists in a novel construction and arrangement of the parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed, by which a more desirable article of this character is produced than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation, its extreme simplicity rendering an elaborate description unnecessary.

In the drawings, A represents the block, which is composed of glass or similar vitreous materials, and is preferably about eighteen inches in length, eight inches in width, and six inches high or in depth; but they may be of any other size desired. It cohsists of the side walls, a I), end walls, (I f, longitudinal partitions m h, and transverse partitions t1", the block having four rectangular compartments extending vertically through it from top to bottom.

In the use of my improvement the blocks are laid to break joints, after the manner of laying ordinary clay brick, as shown in Fig. 1, the outer compartments, or those between the outer wall, a, and partitions m It being filled with ordinary mortar or cement, B, the mortar or cement in all of the courses being I connected, thus forming a-s0lid wall from top to bottom, having a thickness equal to the width of the outer compartments. A layer or thin body of mortar or cement, B, is also inserted between the end walls of the blocks, as seen in Fig. 8, or between the end wall of one block and the side wall of the next adjoining block, as-the case may be, 0ri11 accordance with the position in which they are laid. A joint-plate, G, is inserted between the lower layer of blocks and the top of the underpinning-blocks D, to strengthen and give a finish to the structure. This plate is prefeably arranged to project slightly, as'shown at w in Fig. 8, and it may also be used between any two or more of the courses. The compartments between the walls I) h and b m are designed for air-spaces to prevent the inner wall, 6, from sweating, or to keep out the frost. extend from the bottom to the top of the walls, and may be connected with the chimneys or any other suitable outlet for the air. The wall b, is provided with holes 1', through which the air passes into the vacant compartments of the block which constitute the ventilating- 'fiues; but it is not usually necessary to provide the blocks with more than one of these holes, nor to employ them in any of the blocks except those in the lower course or courses. When the plate 0 is used, it is provided with a hole, Z, to enable the air to pass upwardly through the same in the ventilating-flue.

If desired, all of the compartments of the block may be filled with mortar or cement; but it is preferable to leave the inner com partments vacant. The plate 0 and holes t may also be omitted, if desired.

The underpinning blocks D are constructed in the same manner as the blocks A, butare larger and should have thicker walls to give them greater strength.

I prefer to construct the blocks with four compartments; but they be made with two, four, six, or more, if preferred.

The side walls, end walls, and partitions of the block are integral, or formed in one piece, and may be molded or constructed by any other suitable method.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is- 1. As a new article of manufacture, a build- They also form ventilating-flues,which ing-block composed of glass or similar vitrements being filled with mortar or cement, and ous material, having two or more rows of cells the inner being provided with suitable ventior compartments extending vertically through lating-apertures, substantially as described.

the same, one of the walls of said block being 3. The blocks A, constructed substantially 1 5 provided with suitable apertures opening lat- I as described, in combination with the jointerally into one of its compartments, substanplate 0, substantially as and for the purpose tially as set forth. set forth.

2. A building-block composed of glass or SOLOMON T. TRUMBULL. similar vitreous material, and having two \Vitnesses: ro or more compartments extending Vertically O. A. SHAW,

through the same, the outer of said compart- L. J. WHITE. 

